Sun Star Manila – Marcos to Comelec: Allow taking pictures of VCMs

The Commission on Elections should allow voters to take pictures of the screen of the vote counting machines (VCMs) immediately after they cast their votes in the May 9 elections, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday.

Marcos, who is running for president, issued the call after the poll body rejected the printing of the voting receipts and instead decided to activate the onscreen verification system, on which a voter has 15 seconds to view his vote and verify if it was accurately read by the machine.

“The Comelec is saying that (printing the voting receipts) would be strenuous and would take long. That’s why I’m saying, if that’s the situation, the compromise is to take (photo) of the screen,” the senator said.

“This is a win-win compromise which would allow the Comelec to implement its decision against printing of vote receipts, and at the same time, grant voters the chance to immediately verify their votes,” he added.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, otherwise, welcomed the Comelec’s decision to activate the onscreen verification system of the counting machines instead of paper receipts.

“That is a good compromise between the right of the voter to know that in fact, the candidates he voted for are reflected, and the valid concern of the Comelec that a paper receipt can be effective for vote buying,” Drilon said.